Zootopia Cacophony
by VVizrrd
Summary: Just when ZPD's smallest team are discovering a new high point in their relationship, a Howler lab raid gone wrong leaves Judy comatose and Nick teetering on the brink of questionable sanity. In pursuit of justice, the ex-con turns on old ways and feral instinct to find the mammal responsible. (Rated M for violence, chaos, mischief, drugs, and (with some patience) sexual content.)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A Bad Patrol

* * *

 **Initial A/N- Greetings! VVizrrd here, and welcome to my new story! If you've read some of my other stuff, you may have an idea for how I usually do things. Mostly cheery, lots of fluff, some decent comedy thrown in… This isn't gonna be like that. I plan for this to be roller-coaster ride of insanity pretty much the whole way through. Those of you familiar with Kevin Smith's foray into Batman comics may recognize the title 'Cacophony'. It was dark, gritty, hilarious and borderline psychotic, and that's how I hope this comes across. (That said, this is still a fanfic based off a Disney film, so there will be some fun stuff, too.) I'll be drinking straight whiskey and listening to punk-rock for the duration of this story.**

 **(If you're following 'The Case of Robert Jacks', please know that updates for that will be on the way, but all the plans for this are kinda making my plans for that pretty convoluted at the moment. I typically work on two or three things at a time, and if an idea gets stuck in my head it gets tricky to work on the others until I get that idea down.)**

 **(Also, you may recognize a few characters from my other work in this. I plan for Nick's siblings James and Samantha to make appearances, as well as ZPD Tactical Officer Arianna King.)**

 **Disclaimer- I don't own Zootopia. I don't own Batman. I also don't own Kevin Smith; so far as I know, he is a free man.**

* * *

"Cutting it close, Slick," Judy observed as Nick half-jogged from the door to their usual chair in the bullpen. She took the cup he held up and set it on the desk, scooting over so he could scramble up onto the chair they always shared.

"New guy at the Bean," Nick answered when he finally managed to get up onto the seat. He could never figure out how it took him almost as long to climb into that chair every morning as it had to mount the ice wall by the end of his Academy training. "My guess, they just got him trained up when the morning rush hit. Twenty minutes just to get a cup of coffee."

"Didn't I get you a coffee maker, Nick?" Judy asked, rolling her eyes. She knew she had; A couple months ago, he'd made her coffee with the machine she'd given him as a housewarming gift for his new apartment. One big night of celebration for his new place. The two of them, Finnick, Ari King and Danny Wolfard. She'd woken up on Nick's bed; Nick, apparently, had slept on the couch.

"Coffee maker's still there, Carrots, but it gets kinda tricky to refill after I leave home. Cup's empty by the time I get off the train, if I didn't get another one after I get off the bus I'd be comatose right now. We don't want that, right?" He grinned when Judy rolled her eyes a second time. One thing he planned to never tell the bunny was that he loved the way she rolled her eyes. Hell, ever since that night he'd tucked her under the covers in his bed and took the couch, he'd been finding all kinds of strange feelings he was pretty sure he'd have to take to the grave.

Before their conversation could continue from there, heavy hoofsteps could be heard approaching the door. Perfectly on cue, a pattern of rhythmic grunts and pounding on tables and the floor filled the room. When the door opened and the massive cape buffalo walked in, the grunts and the pounding got louder, hitting its crescendo when the chief stepped up to the podium at the front. "Alright, shut it… Alright… SHUT IT!" Bogo shouted when his initial command was drowned out in the uproar. When he raised his voice though, nothing rang louder, and immediately they all quieted down. The entire force shared the same grin, though.

"Alright… Assignments..." the Chief murmured into the fresh-fallen silence. "Mayor Cuga is attending the reopening of the Natural History Museum… Repairs from a certain train car incident have been completed-" Nick and Judy felt quite a few eyes fall on them. Judy felt a deep blush spread, and Nick couldn't help his grin. "Pennington, McHorn, Grizzoli and Fangmeyer, you're on security. Wolfard, you're going to Tactical. They need you undercover on a Howler distribution ring. You'll be reporting to Captain Duke. The rest of you, standard patrols. Get your routes from Clawhauser. Dismissed."

Bogo was the first one out of the bullpen, headed straight back to his office. After him, the officers in the room started to file out one-by-one. There was no particular rush that morning. They already knew the museum's reopening was scheduled for 11 AM, and any undercover operation meant several hours preparation, at least. They usually didn't even start the day they were assigned. The only ones with somewhere to actually get with any sense of urgency- and then still not much- were those on patrol, Nick and Judy included. Looking over his shoulder as he slipped out of the chair, Nick called back to the timber wolf, "Say hi to Ari for me, Dan!" Wolfard grinned and waved him off before the fox and bunny left the room.

"Wolfard's been going over to Tactical a lot lately," Judy remarked as they made their way to Clawhauser's desk to receive their patrol route. "This is what, his… Third time undercover this month?"

"Sounds about right. He's been on the force what, a year and half now? Rumor's been going around… Delgato says Danny's getting transferred to Tac for good next month." Judy stopped walking, looking up at him with curious interest. He grinned down at her and added, "As a Lieutenant."

Violet eyes went wide for a moment, and a bright smile covered Judy's face. Nick could kill to see that smile. "Well, congratulations to him!" the bunny remarked cheerfully, then turned forward again and finished the walk to Clawhauser's desk.

"Oh, m, goodness!" Nick and Clawhauser exclaimed at exactly the same time, the fox mimicking the cheetah's perpetually excited voice. Judy couldn't help but laugh at her partner's perfect imitation, but Ben simply carried on as if nothing had been said. Nothing could derail the heavy cheetah. "Judy, did you see David and that new lion from Tactical? They were in the parking lot together; I think they came in together. They are so adorable!"

Chuckling softly, Judy hopped up onto the desk. From there, she could see Delgato lingering by the door to the bullpen, looking like he was waiting for someone. "You should've seen them at the Blue Line last week. Ari was practically in his lap."

With a sharp gasp, Clawhauser brought a paw up to cover his muzzle, casting a quick glance toward the lion across the lobby. "I had no idea… They were _that_ close already..."

"They've been together half a year, Benny," Nick stated. "King was in my academy class; they hooked up first night out. Lions move fast. Anyway, we're on patrol today. Got a route for us?"

"Oh, yeah! Looks like..." Clawhauser flipped through a small stack of files on his desk. "You're in the canyons today. Have fun out there!"

"Thanks, Ben," Judy replied as she took the folder. It contained their cruiser dispatch and blank event logs for anything that happened during the day. The bunny hopped down, and they left the lobby toward the garage.

* * *

Patrol was pretty much guaranteed to be boring no matter what district it was in. Some were better than others, but nine times out of ten it was eight hours in a patrol car, driving back and forth along the same streets. And Nick knew better than most that nothing criminal was likely to happen in sight of the cruiser. He'd spent the better part of two decades learning the standard routes between the districts. This time last year his day-to-day had consisted of setting up shop the moment the cops were out of sight, and being gone before they came back. He'd gotten pretty good at it.

The cruiser itself was one redeeming factor. Regardless of the climate outside, it was perfectly equipped to keep whatever occupants it held comfortable. The canyons being an offshoot from Sahara Square- a deep labyrinth of cliff walls and plateaus- it was naturally hot and dry, far more than either officer cared for. The climate of Savannah Central was favorable to the red fox, and any bunny would feel right at home in the Meadowlands. Nick knew Finnick had always been most comfortable in the desert, but of course the gruff little fox would always insist he could live anywhere.

It was now near the end of the day, and it seemed this patrol would close at as another of the norm. It was even more uneventful than normal, in fact. Most days they'd get at least a couple speeders, maybe a pickpocket or a purse snatcher, and every once in a while they'd have to break up a fight. Today there seemed to be none of that. Most would just assume that meant nothing was happening, but this kind of silence made Nick more suspicious than anything. This kind of silence, in his experience, meant something big was happening, something organized, and anyone in the loop with the underground would be taking extra steps to stay under the police radar. If something _was_ going down, the last thing they needed was a couple extra squad cars in the district.

When the cruiser's clock showed 5:45, Judy picked up the radio and keyed in. "Dispatch, this is Z-112, are we clear to head home?"

" _Dispatch to Z-112,"_ Clawhauser's voice returned after a short delay, _"you're clear to-… One moment Z-112."_ When the radio went quiet, Nick and Judy paused and exchanged skeptical looks. They waited… And waited… About two minutes passed, then Clawhauser keyed back in. _"Z-112, we have a report of shots fired at Sixteenth and Wallace Street, can you respond?"_

Blinking in surprise, Judy keyed back in and answered, "Z-112 en-route, we'll be on-site in five minutes." With a frustrated sigh, Nick turned on the lights and sirens and turned the cruiser north.

" _Z-103 to dispatch, en-route to provide backup at Sixteenth and Wallace, ETA ten minutes,"_ another car keyed in as Nick sped the cruiser through moderate traffic. "103… That's Rhinowitz and Jackson, right?" Nick asked, cutting a sharp left onto Sixteenth Street.

"Yeah, that's them. They had south Sahara today." Judy had her tranq gun out, making sure it was ready to use. She pulled back the slide to confirm one in the chamber, and dropped the magazine to make sure it was full before sliding it back into the well. They had to hope the shooters weren't too big; the only tranq guns the ZPD had small enough for their smallest team held five shots each, and it'd take all five of those to drop anything much bigger than a wolf. They'd been told a full magazine should be enough for a moose with a bit of a delay, but fortunately they hadn't yet had to test that.

They heard shots before they saw the store. When they got close, they could see it was a Z-Pawn. Two panthers dressed in all black with handguns stood near the counter, one of them watching the customers while the other shouted orders at a terrified-looking deer behind the register. As soon as Nick pulled up the cruiser, the sound of squealing tires signaled another car pulling away. As it passed, Nick saw another similarly dressed panther behind the wheel. He grabbed the radio and keyed in, "Z-112 on-site at pawn shop robbery, getaway driver panicked, green station wagon, license plate 698-FT7." He got the report out just before the car rounded the corner, then he and Judy quickly got out of the cruiser.

Nick looked up just in time to realize one of the robbers had caught sight of them. Their eyes locked. Time slowed as the robber raised his gun… Not toward the fox, who had the car between him and the storefront, but at the bunny out in the open. Adrenaline mixed with panic kicked in, and in a rush Nick leaped over the cruiser's hood, pivoted and tackled Judy to the ground, just before three shots rang out and the bullets impacted into the cruiser door just behind where Judy had been standing.

Wide-eyed and gasping for breath, both officers lay sprawled among broken glass. Green and purple eyes met for a moment, each set full of surprise, before Nick blinked and rolled over. Just in time to see the shooter do one of the stupidest things possible and stick his head out where the window had been. Half his body extended outside the shop, with the paw holding his gun against the wall for support. As one, both officers raised their weapons and fired, three shots each. The pops from the tranqs were far less intimidating than the live rounds in the robbers' guns, but far more effective in trained hands. Four darts impacted in the panther's chest, one in the side of his neck and one just above his brow. The big cat staggered back in surprise and tried to bring his gun to bear before the sedatives took over and he fell forward over the low brick wall.

"Fucking idiot!" they heard a deep voice sound out from inside the shop. "Got lucky, blue boys! J's a fuckin' moron! I ain't goin' out like that!"

Nick and Judy crawled up against the wall below the broken window, staying out of sight. The bunny tried to get as much info as she could just by sound. "Sounds like he moved to the back of the store. He thinks he's safer there, probably." She dropped the magazine from her gun and pulled out the remaining dart, leaving just the one in the chamber. Nick took it and loaded it into his. Three and one… Might be enough to drop him if their aim was good. "I'm the lure," Judy said. "Get as close as you can. Twenty seconds."

Starting the count in his head, Nick gave a nod and hurried toward the splintered door. Peeking past the opening, he caught sight of the panther's shoulder at the back of the shop. _Eight, nine…_ Quick but careful, he slipped past the doorway and along an outside shelf, flanking the panther while avoiding line of sight. _Thirteen, fourteen…_ In the continued silence, the robber looked to be getting nervous, gun raised and quickly switching between the window and open doorway. He must have not seen them before his partner started firing, and probably figured them to be larger mammals crawling below the bricks.

 _Eighteen, nineteen, twenty._ Right on cue, Nick heard a 'pop', signaling Judy taking her shot. The panther growled and fired a few rounds into the brick wall where Judy had fired from. This made a perfect opening for Nick to slip out and fire his last three rounds. Two hit him in the side and one in the shoulder.

"Fucki-… Mother… Fu...er..." the panther stammered, stumbled back against the wall and shook his head. The darts were slowing him down, but they'd take some time to drop him. He was clearly fighting to stay conscious. He dropped the gun and started fumbling around in his pockets… Nick held place behind the shelf, carefully peeking around. He saw the panther pull something out of his sweater pocket… A short, thick, three-needle syringe filled with a clear blue substance.

"Shit… Howler!" Nick called out, loud enough for Judy to hear. A few seconds later he heard her frantically calling it in over the radio. Shots fired was one thing; Howlers was another matter entirely.

Grinning, the panther jabbed the syringe into his arm and pushed the short plunger. "Fu...F-f-f-fuck yeah..." the robber growled as the syringe emptied into his veins. His eyes went wide, then narrowed into slits. His heart rate tripled, his fur stood on end, his claws extended. Since the Nighthowler incident, a new drug derived from the _midnicampum holicithias_ flower had hit the streets. These were just called Howlers, derived from a diluted extract of the nectar. Users retained some control, a sense of themselves, but experienced a massive adrenaline rush along with a steep hike in aggression. It took a special counteractive sedative to take them down from that high.

Or a shotgun. Nick saw the doe behind the counter moving, but before he registered what she was doing, she brought the weapon up to bear on the panther. A deafening blast rang out through the shop. The panther's body jerked and twisted, caught by the force of the shot to his shoulder. Nick figured he didn't even have time to realize what had happened. He was just gone.

* * *

Paramedics had arrived on-scene ten minutes after Judy called in the all-clear. They declared the Howler user dead on arrival, and loaded him up in a body bag. The unconscious shooter had been cuffed and placed in the back of Nick and Judy's cruiser. They figured he'd wake up around the time they got back to Precinct One. The traumatized doe was sitting in the back of an ambulance, holding her knees against her chest and shivering softly.

They'd received words that Rhinowitz and Jackson had intercepted and caught the getaway driver. When he'd seen the cruiser behind him, he'd tried to cut across traffic at a red light and been clipped by a pick-up truck. Rhinowitz had dragged him out of the car and cuffed him, and Jackson had found two shotguns and a rifle in the trunk. They'd had more planned after their first hit, apparently. ID showed the shooters at the pawn shop to have been brothers. The driver was their cousin.

The drive back to the precinct was made mostly in silence. Nick focused on the road, while Judy stared out the window at the passing buildings. As they were passing through the tunnel to Savannah Central, a groan sounded from the back seat. "What the… Where the fuck- oh. Shit."

"Jeremy Black," Judy called out without turning her gaze from the window, "you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you."

Silence followed for a little while, then the panther asked, "Kent and Wesley?"

"Wesley is also in police custody," Judy answered, her voice completely flat.

"…And Kent?"

Judy looked away from the window, toward Nick. He met her gaze, reached over and put a paw on her shoulder, and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Jeremy," the fox said, turning his gaze back to the road.

Another couple moments silence, then, "Did you take the shot?"

"I… No. The cashier."

"Don't apologize to me, then," Jeremy murmured. They could hear him shuffling around in the back seat to get to where he could look out the window. "Miracle he lasted this long anyway. Fucking junkie..."

From there, it was another ten minutes driving in silence, and they pulled into the Precinct One parking garage. Judy's door opened as soon as Nick put the cruiser in park, and she hopped out. Nick stopped the engine then went out and hurried around the front of the car to intercept her. "Hey," he called as she headed toward the door.

"Come on, Nick," Judy said simply, not looking back.

"No, come on, Carrots. Hold up."

"We've gotta report." A slight tone of irritation rose in her voice.

"Judy," Nick called at last, and that drew her to a halt. For a moment she stood there, halfway between their cruiser and the door to the lobby. He saw her shaking slightly, an occasional tremble. She was putting in every effort to hold back tears, he could tell, and he hurried his pace to close the distance between them. She turned toward the sound of footsteps just before he reached her and wrapped his arms around her.

The bunny let out a gasp of surprise at the sudden embrace, but after a moment she raised her paws up and gripped his shirt, burying her face against his side as she let the tears come. "I… That was… I've never..."

"Never saw someone die before? It… Doesn't get any easier, sorry to say. But you learn to handle it better… With time." He held her against him and let her weep, drawing a comforting paw up and down her back.

"I've seen… Dead people before. My grandma… And great-uncle Paul. But that was open casket at funerals… I've never… _Seen_ someone actually _die_ before." She tightened her grip on his shirt and sniffed, then looked up at him. "You've… You've seen it before?"

"Ah… Yeah. A couple times. First time was Finnick's dad, when I was fourteen… Cancer. Finn didn't wanna be there alone when he passed." He took a deep breath and shook his head. "And… Two more, when I worked for Big. I didn't do it, but I was there when it happened." He looked down at her with a slightly bitter smirked. "Same way we almost went out, remember?"

Judy looked up at him, then looked down and wiped her tears away with a paw, before looking up again. "They were… Iced?"

"Yeah, it was… Pretty terrifying. They screamed when they dropped, screamed more in the water, until their lungs froze… Gives you a whole new perspective when you're hanging over the hole."

"I'll bet," Judy chuckled dryly. With a deep breath, she let her forehead fall against his chest. "Thanks for this, Nick. I… Didn't realize how much I needed to talk about that."

"Hey, hey, come on, Carrots, that's what I'm here for," Nick soothed softly. "After all… I know how emotional you bunnies can get."

"Oh, shut up," Judy murmured, reaching up to give him a light punch on his shoulder. "Dumb fox..."

"Sappy bunny," he countered, then stepped back. "Now, let's go tell Benny we've got a panther for processing, put in our reports, then… Blue Line?"

Judy's smile spread slightly, and she nodded. "Blue Line."

* * *

Just past eleven, the cab pulled up outside Nick's apartment building. The driver cast one more rather skeptical glance in the rear view mirror, watching as the small mammals scrambled out onto the sidewalk and meandered to the door. They'd claimed to just be partners on the force out for a drink after a rough day, and their ZPD blue t-shirts seemed to support that claim, but for being 'just partners' those two seemed awfully close.

It had been Nick's idea that they stay at his place that night. It certainly wouldn't be the first time one of them had stayed a night at the other's apartment. They had a movie night every other week. Of course, Nick was always far more comfortable when he hosted. Judy's apartment was simply too small for him; he always woke up with cramps. And he felt that tonight of all nights, comfort was best for both of them.

The old ibex who served as the night manager watched them with curious interest as they made their way from the front door to the elevator. He'd gotten used to seeing them come in together, but they usually came in sober. And they seemed a lot more clingy when they had some alcohol in them.

In the elevator, Nick stared up at the lights above the door, watching them steadily change, one-by-one, going up to his room on the eighth floor. With his gaze locked on the digital numbers, he didn't notice that Judy's gaze was locked on him. He thought he'd noticed her glancing his way every once in a while throughout the night. What he didn't realize was that her eyes rarely left him. In ways she hadn't been before, Judy was finding she was captivated by the color of his fur, his eyes, the way his shirt shifted with his breath, the mostly-hidden glint of sharp teeth behind his muzzle whenever he opened his mouth… Judy caught herself, certainly not for the first time that night, but probably the most vivid. _Holy shit, what are you thinking… And about Nick no less?_

The elevator door opened and the two walked out into the hallway. Nick's room was all the way down at the end, on the left. He'd been very specific about choosing a corner room; he liked having at least two different views at any given time. Maybe it was a metaphor for still having options… Maybe he got way too philosophical when he drank.

Judy waited patiently while Nick fumbled the key, got a little frustrated before he took a deep breath, focused on the lock and slid the key in. When he finally got the door open, he held it for Judy with a triumphant grin. Giggling softly, the bunny made her way past him and into the room, to the couch, where she dropped down with a satisfied sigh.

After watching his partner cross the room, Nick closed the door and went to the kitchen, pulled down two glasses and ran the tap. He moved to the living room with her and set one glass down on the coffee table. "Water?"

With a faint sigh, Judy pushed up into a sitting position, eyeing the glass for a little while before she reached over and took it. She tipped it back to take a long drink, before setting it half-empty back down on the table. "Shower," she answered. "And don't think you can sneak a peek; I'm always watching."

"Please, Carrots," Nick laughed, "if I wanted to take a peek, there's no way you'd turn me down. You know you love me."

Judy paused, cocked her head to the side, her ears flopping over. She raised a paw to her chin and took on a mock-pensive look, pretending to put some serious thought into it. Then, she stood up on the cushion and leaned over to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "Do I know that, Nick?" she asked, and gave him a wink before she hopped down from the couch and walked into the bathroom.

Nick could only sit and stare at the closed bathroom door, one thought running on repeat through his head. _Holy shit._

* * *

Some time in the darkest hours of the night, Nick stirred, rolled over, and slowly sat up. The blanket he'd taken from the closet slipped down; the couch cushions shifted beneath him. Something had woken him… What? Creaking… A very faint creaking of the floorboards. One specific floorboard; he'd noticed it his first night. That last in the hall between the living room and bedroom. The slightest pressure would make it groan.

As his vision quickly adjusted to the darkness, he saw something approaching, a small form moving along the floor toward the couch. As his night vision set in, he picked out a set of long ears and outstretched paws. When it got close, he got a clear image of wide, violet eyes searching through the dark. One paw made contact with the edge of the couch, felt around, and as soon as she was past the sofa's arm, Judy crawled up onto the couch and over his legs. Nick started to speak, but a finger pressed against his lips. "Shush. Don't get any ideas, Slick. I just… Didn't like being alone in there. Let me stay with you… Just tonight… Please?"

His eyes locked with hers in the dark. He knew her night vision wasn't very good, but she knew his was, and she knew when she made the look she was making right that moment, there was no way he could deny her. "Not fair," he murmured quietly, and dropped back onto the couch. His maw spread into a grin, though, when he felt her crawl under the blanket with him. "Sly bunny..."

"Warm fox..." Judy sighed, nuzzling into the warm fur on his chest and quickly drifting back off to sleep.

* * *

 **Post A/N; Enjoy the fluff while it lasts. This sets the tone for what Nick'll go through when the shit hits the fan. And shit most certainly will hit the fan, and soon. Enjoy the ride.**

 **-VV**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Greetings, my loyal followers and new attendants alike! I must say, I had a HUGE amount of fun writing this chapter, even if it did get convoluted trying to get it all down while also studying for finals. This is the longest chapter I've written to-date, twice the length of most chapters in my other stories, and worth every long, late night, I think.**

 **There's some explicit content in this chapter. If you don't like that kind of thing, there's probably something wrong with you. If you do enjoy that kind of thing, stay tuned and enjoy. ;)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Zootopia. I do not hold exclusive rights to sex, I just enjoy it.**

* * *

Chapter 2: ZPD Tactical

* * *

 _Thump-thump, THUMP… Thump-thump, THUMP…_ The semi-rhythmic sound woke Kimberly Lunus from her sleep. With a deep, long yawn, the she-wolf sat up, stretching her arms toward the ceiling. After a moment, she caught her bearings, and laughed softly at her surroundings. Her dad would kill her if he knew she'd spent three nights that week at her boyfriend's apartment rather than her own. It'd be bad if he knew she'd spent a _single_ night there.

The pattern of thumps told her that he'd already started his morning ritual. She scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up, placed one hand on the bottom of her muzzle and the other on the back of her head, and twisted to pop her vertebrate. With the series of snaps at the base of her skull came a low, satisfied groan. Letting out a sigh of relief, she wandered over to the closet, grabbed on of his ZPD t-shirts and pulled it on. The dark blue garment covered her to mid-thigh, and hung a little loose on her narrower shoulders.

Dressed in her favorite attire, Kim moved to the bedroom door and slowly, carefully opened it. Sure enough, Daniel Wolfard stood in a stable boxing stance, throwing punches at a free-standing heavy bag. The sweatpants being the only thing he was wearing were dark gray with ZPD written down the left leg in blue; Tactical division colors. Danny had decided if he was getting transferred to Tac, he should start dressing the part. And fortunately, his back was turned.

As she approached, Danny stopped punching the bag, took a half-step back and grabbed a handle at the top with both hands. He then repeatedly pulled it downward and drove his knee into the side of the bag. He kept it up right up to the moment a pair of soft, white-furred paws reached around him from behind. After a moment's pause, he grinned and let go of the bag, leaning back against her. "Morning, pretty lady," the timber wolf murmured, and tilted his head to the side when she started to nuzzle at his neck.

Letting go of the bag, Danny turned in her arms and brought his hands to her waist, pulling her closer. He leaned down and touched his nose to hers, closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the closeness of her. He touched a soft kiss to her lips, then nuzzled into her neck and breathed in her scent. He wanted nothing more than to mark her and to have her mark him, but they couldn't, not quite yet. Not until he got moved permanently to Tactical, with the promotion and pay raise that would allow him to support them both.

Unfortunately, moving forward in their relationship was a rather complicated matter. Daniel's father had been Pack Alpha, and when he'd passed, Daniel's older brother had taken over as the current Pack Alpha. Kimberly's father, however, had left his pack when he'd joined the ZPD. They had, at the time, been a rather prominent crime family in Tundratown, and had not supported his decision. The Lunus pack had later been wiped out when they'd taken arms against the Bigs, leaving Scott and his family packless with no chance to return. For most wolves, it would be frowned upon to be mated to them. For someone so close to the head of their pack, it was practically taboo. Danny was sure his brother would disown him when he found out; Kimberly was worried that with her father's views on pack politics, he would likely do the same. Stubborn as they both were, though, they weren't about to let that stop them.

"You start your cover today, right?" Kim asked. She gave him a peck on the cheek before walking into the kitchen. Digging around in the fridge, she pulled out a couple eggs and half a turkey kielbasa, and grabbed a skillet from the cabinet above the fridge. Behind her, the thumping sounds resumed as Danny started hitting the bag again. "Breakfast in ten," she called over to him as she lit the stove. "Anything non-classified you can tell me about the job?"

"Couple things," he grunted. Keeping his paws close to his muzzle, he made a series of close-range elbow hooks. "I'll be driving for most of it. Tac's providing the vehicle… My cover identity is a guy that got arrested… Couple years back, getaway driver for some bookie heist. Anyone runs a background on him, he got released last year on good behavior, cleared probation last month. Truth is he's still right there in his cell. They say his behavior's been anything but 'good'. They just doctored the records for the sake of my cover."

"Aw, just driving?" Kimberly asked with a mock-pout. "No infiltrating secret criminal organizations at the top level, fighting ten bad guys without a shirt, shooting the helicopter's fuel line to take out the kingpin?"

"Too many action movies, Kim," Danny laughed. He took a half-step back and started making quick, straight punches. He liked to tease her about being the least girly she-wolf in Zootopia, but in truth that was one of the things he liked most about her. She liked the same movies as him, the same punk-rock bands, and she could match him drink-for-drink. Her dad, being the Blue Line's owner and bartender, had kept a very close eye on her to make sure she didn't drink before she was old enough, but to Kimberly that had only meant she had to hide it well. There was, however, one thing about her that Danny considered 'girly', but in the best possible way; she had spent four years on her high school gymnastics team. He loved her flexibility.

Once he'd finished his set, Danny grabbed the handle at the base of the bag and dragged it over to its usual space in the corner of the living room. Then he went to the kitchen table, just as Kimberly brought two plates over from the stove. The kielbasa had been cut in two pieces, then cut down the middle before being fried in the skillet. Kim had her eggs over-easy, while Danny preferred his scrambled. Lastly, she poured two cups of coffee, left them both black, and set one next to Danny's plate before taking her seat.

Ever grateful for Kim's cooking, even if it was a simple breakfast of eggs and kielbasa, Danny took the first bite, closed his eyes and groaned softly. This was, of course, mostly for Kimberly's benefit, and he was rewarded with one of those sweet giggles he loved from her. He grinned as he sipped his coffee and leaned back in his chair.

"Sorry to say," he remarked after they'd spent a couple minutes to enjoy their meal, "I really have no idea when I'll get off tonight. No leads on where this cover's gonna take me or how long it'll take to get there… Hope you don't mind?"

"Oh! Uhh… I… Forgot to tell you, didn't I?" She'd gotten pretty excited the night before, when he'd told her his transfer to Tactical had been officially drafted and was just awaiting final confirmation. That excitement had gotten very physical, and very distracting, and she'd forgotten her news for the day. "My parents wanted me to come to dinner with them tonight. Twenty years ago today Dad opened the bar, remember? They, uh… They were hoping maybe you could come, too? I'll tell them about your mission, they'll understand if you can't make it, but let me know if you get off before seven, alright?"

Danny tilted his head back, thinking about it for a little while. He'd never actually associated with the older tundra wolf outside the bar. Scott Lunus knew the two were dating, of course, he just didn't know how far their relationship had really progressed. And he wouldn't, hopefully, for at least a little while longer. That said, it would definitely be a good idea to at least try to get on Kim's parents' good side before breaking the news.

"Sounds good, actually," he answered, turning his gaze back to Kimberly. "If I can make it, I'll let you know." Standing up, he picked up his empty plate and took it to the sink, then went back to the table and leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Gotta take a shower now, due to report in by 9. Love ya."

Smiling softly, Kimberly watched him cross the living room and go down to the hall, and a moment later heard the bathroom door close and the shower start up. She started counting in her head while she finished her food. She figured she'd give him five minutes, and then…

At just over two minutes, she cleared her plate and brought it to the sink. Rinsing all the dishes and the skillet, which had sufficiently cooled enough to be put under water, took her to four minutes. Close enough. She pulled the oversized shirt off on her way through the living room, opened the bathroom door, and joined him under the water.

* * *

The lock screen on Danny's phone showed a very nice picture of Kimberly on the beach in what he regarded as her best bikini, as well as a clock that read 9:17 when he pulled into the small parking lot outside ZPD Tactical's building, across the motor pool from Precinct One's main building. Silently cursing his inability to resist the temptation of his beautiful girlfriend- while at the same time thanking her for providing such wonderful temptation- he half-walked half-jogged through the doors. "Sorry I'm late, Captain," he started the moment he caught sight of the Great Dane who commanded Tac, "my girlfriend decided to join me in-"

"What you and your lady do at home is none of my business, pup," Vivian Duke replied. She stood in her customary spot in front of the big white board on which she briefed all missions. From there, she watched the other members of the division move about the single-room building, checking equipment and running maintenance checks on vehicles. "Neither are your excuses. If you mean to be on my team, own your mistakes. And don't call me Captain."

"Right… Vivian," he stammered. It was still pretty weird to him, having a commanding officer who insisted her team address her by name. Her reasoning was sound, though. It wasn't uncommon for her to be in the field with them, and she wasn't about to let formality alienate her from the others. "It won't happen again," he added.

"Bullshit, that's a lie I'd give two weeks at best. We all have long nights, late mornings. Around here, we like to drink and we like to fuck. Just don't miss a deadline." The tall dog grinned at the wolf's shocked expression. "I'm not gonna stand here and pretend my mate's never made me show up late before. The girl just knows how to get me going. Yours?"

"What?" His mind was having a little trouble processing the mental images Captain Duke's statement had brought forth and discerning her half-question at the same time. "I, uh… Yeah. Kim got me in the shower."

"Kim? Kim..." Pausing a moment, touching one paw to her chin, Vivian considered the name. "Don't suppose you mean Kim Lunus?"

"Well… Yeah. Kimberly," Danny answered, feeling slightly less awkward as the conversation progressed. "Take it you know her?"

"Everyone knows her. Anyone who goes to the Blue Line adores the girl. You're a lucky wolf, Daniel." While she spoke, she went to a cabinet next to the white board, opened the door and pulled out a single set of keys key. She brought it over and held it up in front of Danny's muzzle. When he tried to take them, though, she yanked them up outside his reach. With a mischievous grin, she added, "Me and Scott go way back, you know? Wonder how he'd react if I told him you've been fucking his daughter?"

Suddenly flustered again, Danny stammered out, "P-please don't, Capt-uh… Vivian. We, uh… We're waiting for my transfer to go through. Then she can move in with me."

"How romantic," Captain Duke deadpanned. "But okay, your secret's safe with me. You're a good officer, Daniel, and I want you on my team. So I need your trust, got it?" When Danny gave a nod, she brought the keys back down to where he could grab them. "You're in the silver SUV out front. As long as they don't look it over with an x-ray, they'll find nothing. All the surveillance equipment is very well hidden, and programmed to transmit data back to us here. Security dictates it does not have a feedback to you. You won't get any of the information, but there's a 'CD' icon on the radio. As long as you see that, we can hear you. It broadcasts on fifteen-hundred megahertz, same as GPS, so if they're watching for a signal they'll just think it's your maps app. Address is loaded in, you're due there at 10:30. Have you had breakfast?"

"I have, thanks." Taking the keys and giving a quick salute, Danny went back out to the parking lot.

* * *

"You must be Jeffrey," the overweight panda in a cheap track suit, leaning against a big, blue mini-van, observed when Danny stepped out of the vehicle provided him.

In preparation for his cover, they'd made sure to get the same year model the real Jeffrey Marlow would've been driving if her weren't still in prison. He'd also spent all day yesterday reviewing videos from his cover's interrogation, his trial and his parole hearing a couple months ago, which had been rejected when he spit on one the head of the parole board. He'd been interviewed by various members of Tac until he could convince each of them that he was Jeffrey, and finally he'd been airbrushed to appear the spitting image of Meadowlands Correctional's favorite guest. Kimberly had thought it a little strange when he'd shown up like that at the Blue Line, but it hadn't taken long after reaching his apartment to take her mind off it.

"Please, dude," Danny countered in a smooth voice, rolling his eyes. "My dad calls me Jeffrey. Little sis calls me Jeffrey. My PO calls me Jeffrey. Really prefer if you call me Jeff. Just J with my friends." Grinning wide, he extended a hand. "Guarantee I'm a good friend to have."

"Yoli," the panda answered, though he ignored Danny's offered hand. His voice was flat, and carried the boredom he evidently felt. "Just Yoli. You wanna be Jeff, you can be, but we ain't friends. We're barely coworkers. You're the 'new guy' and I'm the senior driver who's seen a dozen of you piss-and-vinegar rookies come and go. Best hope when you go, it's back to prison and not a hole in the desert. I'll let you guess which one the last guy was."

While Danny was pondering this, a third vehicle showed up, a tan station wagon driven by a beaver with absurdly thick glasses. "That Kieth," Yoli explained. He gave a wave to the beaver, who gave a nod back without moving from his seat. "Smart guy, doesn't talk much. Outlasted three new guys. Speaking of..." He turned back to Danny and added, "As the new guy, you ride center. Just follow me, don't get too close to me, don't get too far from Kieth. Don't talk to the warehouse guys, don't ask questions. We're paid to drive. Pickup every Sunday and Wednesday. Drive safe, avoid attention, do good and you'll have this job a while." He reached inside his track suit and pulled out a roll of bills in a rubber band. "Three-grand for a couple hours driving. That's your first fifteen, other half comes at the end of the day. We good?"

"We're good, Yo," Danny agreed with a grin, took the money and stuck it in his coat pocket. He wouldn't be keeping the money, of course. As a cop, he wasn't allowed to. He would hold onto it for the time being and turn it in once his cover was finished. As long as he was on the job, he couldn't go back to ZPD in person, in case whoever was in charge of this operation had him followed. Now that he'd made contact, he'd have to go the next few weeks with minimal contact with the ZPD; minimal contact with Nick, Judy and Ari, his closest friends; and he wouldn't be able to go to the Blue Line, as everyone knew it to be mainly a cop bar.

Following the example of the overly-round panda, Danny got into his SUV and started it back up. 80's funk flowed from the speakers. It was supposed to be Jeffrey's favorite music, and Danny at least found it tolerable. Yoli's van pulled out onto the road. Danny put the SUV in drive and pulled out after him. A couple moments later, Kieth joined behind.

Yoli's path took them on a meandering route from Savannah Central, through the tunnel to Sierra Square, and from there, they turned north until they hit the Rainforest district. Danny figured this was to give them long enough for Kieth to determine whether they were being followed. By the time they reached their destination- what appeared to be an old, cheap office building with several 'Office Space for Rent' signs- they'd been driving for nearly a half hour and tacked a little over ten miles on. As soon as they'd parked in front of the building, half a dozen large dogs in cheap suits came out, carrying boxes. Making an educated guess, Danny pressed the button to unlock the SUV's rear door. Sure enough, two of the dogs moved behind his vehicle. One of them opened the door and they loaded their boxes in. Taking a glance over to where Yoli sat, he caught the panda's gaze, and the large bear held up one paw, palm facing out. The gesture was plain; _wait, be patient._

While most of the dogs went back inside, one stayed behind, hanging by Yoli's window. Though he couldn't hear them, Danny could tell the two were talking about something. He took a glance at the stereo display panel to confirm the hidden surveillance equipment was turned on. Assuming the two were in range, everything they said was being transmitted to Tactical.

Over the course of about fifteen minutes, the dogs made six more trips out, loading boxes in equal count between the three vehicles. The whole time, the one Danny assumed to be the leader of the group talked with Yoli. He had no idea what they were talking about, he just hoped it was something good. Something Duke and the rest of the team could use.

The sound of the SUV's rear door slamming shut signaled that the vehicles were loaded. He took a glance back and grimaced; there were a dozen boxes back there. He was expected to not ask questions, and he wasn't supposed to know what he was carrying. But he knew anyway; ZPD had already confirmed this was part of the city's Howler problem. The only question was whether these boxes were filled with the raw flowers, the nectar, or the finished product. He figured it probably wasn't the last; that would be enough for half the city, and according to Yoli they did this twice a week.

Once the dogs had all disappeared back into the building, Yoli pulled out, and Danny and Kieth followed. This time, the trip was a lot longer, and took them through every district. On their way back through Savannah Central around 1:30, Yoli led them through a fast-food drive-thru. The bear sent a text instructing Danny to get lunch then circle the block until all three cars were back together. Danny took bites of his turkey burger at red lights, and once Kieth showed up behind him, he found his way back in behind Yoli and the three headed off again.

It was just past four when they finally pulled up behind what appeared to be an old steel mill at the outer edge of the Canals. Yoli honked his horn, and another set of six large dogs came out to unload the boxes. _Lots of canines in this ring…_ Again, while most of them worked to bring the boxes into the building, one stayed back and talked to Yoli. This time, they only took about five minutes to unload. Danny's best guess was that the longer time for pick-up likely meant their operation in the office building was somewhere above the ground floor; so far as he could tell, this mill only had one floor.

Having finished the job, Yoli led the other two a few more blocks down before pulling over into the parking lot of a recently-closed department store. Kieth was out of his station wagon as soon as they parked, took the money Yoli passed over to him without a word, got back in and drove away. When Danny made to accept his second roll of cash, though, the panda lifted it up out of reach. "You did good today, newbie," the senior driver said. "That is to say, you drove without asking drawing attention, you didn't ask questions, you didn't step out of line. Keep it up, kid, there's good money in it. See you Wednesday." With that, he dropped the cash into Danny's waiting paw, got back into his van and left.

* * *

The first thing Danny did when he got back to his apartment was send a text to Kimberly to tell her he'd be able to join them for dinner. Then he pulled out the encrypted laptop he'd been given by Tac's IT officer, an oversized tiger by the name of Hank Addison. The guy was a pacifist by nature, but it was rumored he'd choked out McHorn at the Academy. He turned it on just long enough put his own perspective on the day into a word document and send it to Captain Duke, and shut it off imediately after.

Then he got in the shower. Five hours driving through every district- from the heat of Sahara Square to the cold damp of the Canals, the humidity of the Rainforest District to frigid Tundratown- had him changing between heat and AC every half hour, and he'd changed between sweating and freezing more times than he'd like to count. So he started with the heat on full and basked under the flow of water until it neared lukewarm. His building sharing a water heater for every six apartments, that only took about ten minutes.

When he got out, he had a text from Kim. _'Are you busy?'_ He grinned and tapped out, 'Just got out of the shower. Sorry you missed it.' A couple moments later, his phone started to ring, and the video call interface came up with his favorite picture of Kim. His grin widened, and he swiped _accept_.

" _Glad I caught you before you dressed,"_ the white-furred she-wolf observed. With a chuckle, Danny lifted the phone overhead so the camera could capture a full-body view. _"Such a tease,"_ Kimberly added.

"Anything for you, baby," Danny answered, using the phone's case to prop it up on his bedside table. He cast her a wink through the camera, then went to his closet and started shifting through his small collection of nicer clothes. "Any preference on what I wear tonight?"

" _Gray slacks, green shirt, gray jacket. And the black tie, we're going to Carvell's,"_ Kim replied.

Danny pulled out the ensemble she'd recommended, and gave a nod. It was the same thing he'd worn on their first real date, four months back. "Carvell's, huh? Big strings gotta be pulled the get a table there." Even a decade after Sebastian Carvell had retired from his fourteen-year run as Zootopia's top chef, his place was almost as hard to get into as Cicero's.

" _It's the Blue Line's twenty-year celebration. No way Dad would half-ass this one."_ While she spoke, Kim set her own phone down and walked away from it, letting the camera take her all in. Moving closer, Danny could see she was in her bedroom, and dressed in just a mismatched set of underwear- blue panties and a red bra. Glancing back to make sure he was watching, she picked a long, sheer black gown off the edge of her bed and held it up in front of her. It reached almost to her ankles, with a slit that would open halfway up her left leg. _"What do you think?"_

"I think I'll enjoy seeing you in that all night almost as much as I'll enjoy taking it off you later," Danny stated with a wide grin and hunger in his eyes. This got him a very coy smile from the she-wolf before she set the dress back down. Her eyes locked on the camera, she finished stripping, making sure to give Danny a show of it. And as soon as she stood covered only in her beautiful white fur, she picked the dress back up, winked and disappeared out of the frame.

"And she calls me the tease," he murmured to himself, rolling his eyes. He pulled his slacks up and zipped them up, then grabbed a plain white undershirt and tucked it into the waist before he fixed the top button and looped his belt. Just as he was securing the buckle, Kimberly walked back into frame, showing off the dress. Danny was in momentary awe at the way the fabric hung over her perfect curves, showing of her marvelous figure in an almost-but-not-quite-modest way. "Kim," he groaned, "that dress alone is everything I ever hoped for going into this, but I've gotta know… What's underneath?"

The question got him a mischievous smirk, and Kimberly lifted her arms, twirled once, then stated simply, "You'll see." She blew a kiss at the camera, winked, and reached over to end the call.

* * *

Carvell's Wharf stood right at the main fork of the Canals' big delta. Sebastian Carvell had bought the property cheap, over thirty years ago, and started it off as a simple crab shack. For eight years, he'd barely held on to the place and kept it running, until one day the right customer had come in, tried the fish and chips, and two months later Sebastian had earned himself a place on Top Chef Z. The four-month competition ended with him at the top, and earned him the deal that had turned the Wharf into the five-star eatery it was today.

Danny pulled into the parking lot at 5:53, in the silver SUV. It'd look suspicious if he drove a different vehicle while undercover, so his own car was parked safely behind Tac's building. Kimberly sat in the passenger seat, making it very hard for Danny to focus on the road. Especially since every time she'd caught him looking her way, she'd draw a paw up her leg, or along her side, arch her back to push her chest out… Teasing him in every way she could without actually stripping in the front seat. The girl was sure to drive him to his wits end; when Scott had heard that Danny would be picking her up from her apartment, he'd said if they were even a minute late, he'd hang Danny's pelt over the bar in the Blue Line. They'd have been late for sure if Kim had caused him to crash.

"I trust you have a reservation?" asked the Maitre D', an otter in what appeared to be a very expensive tuxedo. The way he looked at Danny, he must figure him to be some mongrel stuffed in a suit. Kimberly's presence, fortunately, seemed to balance that out.

"Yes, sir," the she-wolf answered for the pair. "Lunus, party of four? My parents should be here already."

"Ah, yes, of course… Kimberly and Daniel, I assume? This way, if you please." The otter hopped down from his pedestal and guided them through the restaurant, toward the back. The room held twenty tables, all of them occupied, but there was only one other wolf in the room, an older one with a pair of hares. As they went on, though, Danny saw a pair of double-doors leading to an outdoor patio area, and through the glass he caught sight of Scott and Deborah Lunus. The patio appeared otherwise vacant, and it occurred to Danny that this section must be set aside for private functions.

"Cuttin' it close, pup," the old tundra wolf observed when the door opened, observing his wrist watch. The Maitre D' held it for Danny and Kim, then let it close once the two were past. "What's the force come to if five minutes early is acceptable?"

"I think the chief's a different sort than you're used to, sir," Danny answered, holding out a seat for Kimberly before taking his own. "And in terms of 'punctuality', Captain Duke seems a lot worse."

"Duke? Guessing ya mean Viv, huh?" Scott barked a laugh, slapping his knee with one paw. "Danny-boy, I had no idea ya switched over to Tac."

"I haven't, yet. Vivian asked for a beat officer to assist on a case last month, I got picked. They took a liking to me. Transfer's set to go through next week."

" _And_ he's getting promoted to Lieutenant," Kimberly put in, reaching a paw over to take his. He cast her a little smile and gave her paw a squeeze.

"Well, that's very impressive, Daniel," Deborah mused, regarding her daughter's boyfriend with some appreciation. She couldn't count the number of times she and her husband had expressed concern about the prospect of Kimberly dating. It had been a constant worry throughout her high school years; that had been when they'd met, and they had done things back then that they definitely hadn't wanted Kim doing at that age. Fortunately, her veteran officer and bartender of a father had been sufficient to scare off any males who got too close. Once she'd shown up serving tables at the Blue Line, his presence alone had been enough to ward off most, and her studies had taken up most of her remaining time.

Then, one day, Danny had come along, taken interest, and been shot down. It was actually a little entertaining, the first few times. Then it started to get a little sad, some starstruck pup who didn't seem to know what he was doing, and didn't seem to know how to give up. But in the end, it seemed that persistence had paid off, especially when he took a look at what he was doing wrong. Now they'd been dating for four months, and weren't nearly as good at hiding things as they seemed to think they were.

A tall giraffe waitress entered the patio area then, coming from a doorway in the corner that, if Danny had to guess, led straight to the kitchen. She was carrying a rather large bottle of champagne in a pail of ice, with four glasses expertly held in the cleft of her other hoof. "Your refreshments, as requested with your reservation," she stated as she set the glasses out, then took the bottle from the pail and popped the cork. "And may I take your orders?"

Scott, at the head of the table, was the first to order. "Salmon filet with fettuccine."

"Eggplant lasagna, thank you," Deborah requested.

"I'd like the..." Kimberly paused, taking one more quick glance through her menu. "Chicken parmesan, please."

"And I'll have the lobster ricotta gnocchi," Danny added at the end.

"Excellent," the waitress replied once they'd all ordered, and took their menus. "We'll have them out shortly."

After the waitress left, Deborah leaned over and whispered something in her husband's ear, something neither Danny nor Kimberly were able to pick up. Scott looked to his wife and gave a single nod. Then Deborah stood up and said, "I'm gonna go freshen up before our food gets here. You should come with me, Kim."

"I… Uh… Okay?" Kim replied hesitantly, then stood up and followed her mother back inside.

As soon as the door closed behind the females, Scott looked to Danny and asked, "How many nights a week does my daughter spend with you, Daniel?"

Danny could tell right away that this was a serious conversation, and an important one. It was both in his tone, and his use of Danny's full name. If this went the wrong way, it could very well cost him his relationship with Kimberly. He also knew that even after twenty years, Scott Lunus was a legend at ZPD for interrogation. Clearing his throat, Danny looked the older wolf in the eyes and stated, "Most weeks, three or four nights, sir."

"Drop the 'sir', Daniel. I'm not your boss, I'm not your commanding officer. I'm the father of the girl you've been spending half your nights with for the last four months. To you, I'm either Mr. Lunus or Scott. If you've got as much brains as you've got balls, you'll know which one I prefer." A challenging smirk spread over the older wolf's maw. Danny thought then that he'd misread the situation. This wasn't an interrogation; it was a test.

"It's actually only been about a month, Scott." The tundra wolf's brow raised at that, and his smirk became a grin. "But… It has been just about every night in the past month. If she's not at my place, I'm at hers."

Scott barked a laugh at that, and remarked, "If it's that serious, you two should settle on one place and spend all your nights there." He laughed even louder at Danny's look of shock. The young timber wolf was pretty sure Scott had just recommended Danny and his daughter move in together. "I'm gonna level with you; you're a far better choice for Kim that most we could've expected. If you didn't meet out expectations, you wouldn't be here tonight. I just have to know; are you serious about being with my daughter?"

Without hesitation, Danny gave a nod and said, "Absolutely. Kimberly is, by a long shot, the most important mammal in my life. I want nothing more than to be with her."

For a while, Scott simply sat there, stared at Danny. He watched the younger wolf for any sign of doubt, anything that would indicate he wasn't entirely sincere. Then his smile softened, and he said, "Good. You have my blessing, then."

Another fresh wave of surprise came over Danny. "Really? I mean, I'm glad, more thankful than you can imagine really, but-"

"Danny-boy," Scott cut him off, "you and Kimberly are gonna go home together tonight. After that, if you haven't marked her by the next time I see you, I'll take it as a sign of incompetence and I will personally neuter you. Understand?"

Wide-eyed and speechless, Danny gave a quick nod. With a quiet little chuckle, Scott pulled out his phone and made a call. "Hey love, everything's good on our end," he said. "How about you? Alright… Okay… Good. Come on back out, let's eat."

* * *

 _Explicit content follows._

* * *

There had been many reasons in the past when Danny had been glad his apartment was on the second floor of a five-story building. It had been easier moving in, carrying lighter boxes up just a single flight of stairs. For heavier things, it was nice to have such a short elevator ride. The one time he'd been late on rent, he'd been able to slip out the window and scurry down to ground level. And when he was in a rush, it only took him twelve seconds to get to the parking lot from his room. He'd timed it.

That night, one reason above all others took precedence. By the time he pulled into his parking spot, Danny was at his wits end. The whole drive back from the Canals, Kimberly had been leaning over the center console, clinging to him affectionately, trailing kisses along his neck and the side of his muzzle, cooing softly in his ear. He'd had to drive with one hand because she wouldn't let the other arm go.

So tonight, more than any other night, it was nice that the elevator only had to take them to the second floor. Their lips and bodies pressed together the moment the doors closed, and as the lift took them up, Danny had Kim pressed back into the corner. He felt her work to loosen his tie and undo the top few buttons on his shirt. When he felt the elevator slow, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up, waited to feel her legs wrap around his waist before stepping back and carrying her out the door. One arm held around her back while the other paw dug in his pocket for his keys, and he pressed her against the door while he scrabbled with the lock. As soon as he felt it give, he turned the knob and pushed the door open, carried her in and kicked the door back closed behind them.

From there, all restraint was lost. The nearest surface was the sofa, and that faced the back of the room. Still, it was good enough for the moment. He brought her over and let her down until she sat on the back of it, with her legs still wrapped around him, and her arms around his neck. His paws found their way to her back and pulled apart the ties that held her gown tight. He had to take a moment to appreciate how hard it would be for most people to tie those themselves; a wonderful demonstration of her flexibility. Once he had them undone, he brought his hands to her waist, trailed them up, pressing through the sheer fabric of the gown. The noise she made was half whimper, half moan, and the most beautiful sound Danny knew. As he neared the pit of her arms, he grabbed handfuls of fabric and dragged it up. He made mental praise of the coy smile that graced her lips while she raised her arms to let him take the gown off her.

That smile turned shy, and irresistibly adorable, when the dress came off and revealed the treat she'd prepared for him that night. When she'd heard that he _might_ be able to join her that night, she'd gone out to buy a brand new set of lingerie, delicate black lace that contrasted perfectly with her snowy white fur. As he took in the sight, Danny let the gown slip from his paws and bundle on the floor behind the couch. "You are amazing, Kim," he whispered to her, leaned down and pressed his muzzle into the soft fur below her jaw. She groaned at the nuzzling sensation, rolled her head back. Her paws came up, grabbed his loosened tie and pulled him closer.

Eager to comply, to get closer to her, he grabbed her by the waist and pressed their bodies together. One paw went to her chest, cupped her breast and rolled it under his palm. The groan of pleasure she let out was music to him. His other paw reached around her waist, trailed upward through her soft white fur, until it reached the clasp of her bra. A paw made deft by many sessions of practice together undid the clasp, and the black lace fell loose. At the same time, she finished pulling apart the knot of his tie and pulled it away. Her paws went to his shoulders, pushed his coat back until it joined her dress on the floor, then quickly returned to his buttons, until his shirt was entirely open at the front.

Everything changed when Danny leaned up, nuzzling his cheek against hers, then turned his head and swiped the bottom of his chin across her cheek. Snapping to awareness, Kimberly's eyes went wide and she sat frozen as he switched over and repeated the motion across her other cheek. "Danny, you..." she stammered. "You just… Did you…?"

"I did," Danny answered. He nuzzled into the side of her neck, and trailed a few soft licks through her fur. "With your father's blessing, of course… You are mine, Kimberly, now and forever."

Kimberly grabbed either side of his face in her paws and pushed him back so she could look him in the eyes. She had no idea what she'd expected to find there, but when they met, they seemed to hold the answer to every question she wanted to ask. "Damnit, Danny…" She smirked, reached down and wasted no time loosening his belt and pushing his slacks down, and stated, "I _need_ you now."

Grinning wide, he reached down and took his shaft in one paw, using the other to shift the pad of her panties enough that they were out of the way. Kimberly stared down between them, watching with eager anticipation. By her estimation, they'd done this about two-dozen times in the last month, but this time was different. This time was special. This would be more than just mating; this time, she would _truly_ be his _mate_.

Danny let her watch as he slowly dragged the tip of his shaft up and down between her lips. He loved teasing her like this; he knew she loved being teased, almost as much as she loved what came after. Closing her eyes, Kimberly bit her lip, trembled, quivered at the sensation, until she could barely manage to whimper out, "Please..." Only then did he press his lips to hers, drive his tongue into her mouth at the same time that he drove his shaft into her.

Kimberly cried out at the wonderful intrusion of his shaft spreading her tight walls. Danny groaned deep in his throat, enraptured by the sensation of her satiny folds trembling and clenching around him. His hips pressed against hers, and he rolled slowly, grinding into her, eliciting the sweet whimpers he loved from her. When he drew back, he looked down between them to see her lips gripping around him, his shaft glistening in her wetness.

Most nights, he'd taste that wetness before he took her, but there was a particular sense of urgency this night. They both needed this, and they needed it now; they needed it rough, they needed it hard. And Danny was always eager to please her. His paws reached for her waist, gray digits digging into white fur, pressing into the soft skin beneath it. He started to move, to really move, starting the tempo fast and hard. She drew back from the kiss, tilting her head back to cry out in pleasure.

Kim's initial feeling had been right; this was no sweet lovemaking, this was like nothing they'd had before. This was the pure, primal need to mate, the passionate lust held by all mammals deep down. This was an instinctual passion that drove them. The sound of Kimberly's beautiful cries and moans sounded out through the room, joined by deep, carnal growls from Danny. The smell of sex and arousal hung thick in the air. The couch behind Kim shook roughly to the rhythm with which Danny drove into her.

They knew they could go all night; they'd done so before. But that wasn't something either of them wanted tonight. The urgent need for release drove them forward, and before long the pressure started to build. Kimberly could hear the depth of his growls, the need growing in him, and that drew her ever closer to her peak. When his claws extended and pressed into her hips, she knew what was coming. She tightened the grip of her legs around him, drew him in, threw her head back and howled in unison with him as his knot pushed through her lips.

With his shaft buried and rooted inside her, he carefully lifted her from the back of the couch and carried her around, to where he could drop down, holding her gently in his lap. She leaned against him, pressing occasional kisses against her neck and cheek, and trembled occasionally when her muscles tightened around his knot.

As their breathing slowed, their heart rates settled, and the swelling of his knot started to go down, Danny drew his paws up from her waist, along her back, gently caressing through her fur. After a while, he leaned in and murmured in her ear, "What do you think about being Kim Wolfard?"

Leaning back a little, she looked at him with some surprise, then smiled softly and leaned back in to swipe her chin over his cheeks, marking him just as he'd marked her.

* * *

 **And that's a wrap! Hope you enjoyed the show, pervert! ;)**

 **All joking aside, stay tuned for the next chapter. It'll pair up chronologically with this one, pick up where Chapter 1 left off, cover Nick and Judy after they wake up, and explore their day while Danny was out driving.**


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